Searching For Hidalgo
by theunstoppable
Summary: Arien Tane is one of the greatest horse wranglers in North America, but when she meets up with Frank Hopkins she takes on a challenge to find his long lost Mustang, Hidalgo and ends up realising there's more to life than fame & money.
1. Encountering A Hero & Champion

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**Searching For ****Hidalgo******

(NOTE: Some of the characters in this story do not belong to me)

**Chapter 1**

**Encountering a Hero & Champion**

"Ahhhh, well that part is really very simple!  You'll see."  The woman explained, and leant back into the corner of the tent.  She yawned and rubbed her hands together.  Then glared back up at the young man in front of her.  He was watching her eagerly, as if waiting for her to say more.  He held onto his hat tightly as the woman got to her feet slowly.  She peered out of the gap in the tent as the afternoon sun shone through the gap onto her face.  She seemed young, although there were a few flaws about her which proved she was much older.  Her golden brown hair caught the sunlight, and her bright green eyes gleamed as she opened the tent and let the light in.  She turned and sighed to the boy.

"I'll have your mustang by sundown tomorrow, as long as I get the money."

The boy nodded and played nervously with his hat. 

"Please remember, that's a black filly, don't forget."

The woman smiled and patted the boy on his shoulder before walking around him.

"Don't you worry young lad.  Count on Miss Tane to get the job done."

The boy smirked and turned to leave her on her own.  He looked back before exiting.

"Thank you Arien… that is your name?"

"Yes indeed it is.  But do not tell many people that." She explained pointing her finger at him.

The boy nodded once more and bolted happily out of the tent, almost bumping into Arien's horse.

Arien took a deep breath and grabbed her backpack from the corner.  She shoved a few things into it, and strolled out to her horse.  She patted him, stroked his mane, and tied her backpack up onto the side-saddle. 

"We got another horse to wrangle, Cheval."

Cheval tossed his head and snorted.  Arien stopped stroking his mane and made sure that her stuff was tied tightly.

"Don't you be startin' that crap with me.  You know perfectly well this is what we set out to do.  You've been doin' it for long enough.  Or is that what your problem is?"

Cheval turned his head and looked at her.  Arien shook her head and climbed up onto his back.  She looked over at her tent that was perched just inside a small cavern in the base of a rock face and then over the grassy plain that made the horizon.  She kicked Cheval in the sides and they both rode off in the sun's direction.

Arien covered her face with her one free hand to shield from the sun as she rode on, and scanned the plains for what she was hoping to see.  Wild horses.  She knew where she was going, for she had been there a million times before, hunting for the wild mustang everyone was so keen to get their hands on.  

She gazed around at the scene as her and Cheval stopped in their path.  There was nothing.  She slapped her hand down on her thigh angrily, her head darting around in all directions.

"Where are they!!? They are always here, Cheval! Don't you remember!? YOU were the one that lead me here!! You break that damn horses code and now look where it's taken you!!"

She kicked him lightly again and he began trotting.  Arien searched frantically.  She cupped her hands to her mouth and whistled.  There was a loud echo and a cold wind whipping past her, but other than that there was no reaction.

"Probably not a good thing to do huh? Wherever they are now, they just ran much further away from us."

She tugged off her black felt hat and waved it in her face.  Cheval snorted and threw his head, pulling the reigns ever so much to the left.

Arien slapped her hat back on and steadied him.

"You want to lead me there again?? You know where they are?? IT WAS YOU!! WASN'T IT!!?? YOU TOLD THEM TO LEAVE!!" She barked, poking Cheval lightly in the neck. Instead, Cheval just neighed.

All of a sudden she and Cheval fell silent.  From over the hill there was a thundering noise.  Arien's eyes widened and she turned Cheval around and bolted in the other direction.  Following closely behind her was a mob of about a thousand horses. Arien whipped at Cheval's sides as she galloped past and out of their way.  Instead the mob of horses turned and veered off to the left.  Arien and Cheval turned around to watch them. 

"WOOO!! It's them!!" She cried in happiness, and scanned the mob for the black filly she was looking for.  

When she spotted one, she whipped Cheval's sides again and galloped off up beside the mob.  She untied a rope from her side-saddle, and began to swing it around her head.  Cheval edged on faster, beside the frightened filly.  She tossed the rope toward the horse, barely missing it's head.  She pulled the rope in, and swung it around her head for a second go.

Just as she went to throw the rope once more, she looked ahead of her and noticed one single horse and rider coming toward her.  Not taking any unruly notice of it, she tossed the rope at the filly which was by now separated from the mob.  The filly galloped in closer to Cheval and the rope went flying out to the other side with the wind.  The single horse and rider that was galloping toward them sped past, snatching the end of her loop up.  Arien felt a tug, and she pulled hard, hoping to see the filly come to a halt.  Instead the mysterious rider yanked so hard on the rope that she was pulled backwards and fell out of her saddle and onto the hard dusty ground.  Cheval neighed and reared up.  Arien groaned and looked around herself, her vision a little blurry.  She saw Cheval and growled.

"You had to go and do that didn't you? Did you do that?"

She heard another horse neighing, and her eyes darted around.  A man stood over her face.

"No, I did."

She squinted to try and see his face, but the blistering sunset light was shining in her eyes.  She tried hard to sit up properly, the pain in her back hitting her hard.

"Who the hell are you and why did you interrupt my special work?" She ordered, and heaved herself to her feet, rubbing her back.

The man glared at her as she turned around to see him.  She waited for an answer, and shrugged at him sarcastically.

"Because I know what you're tryin' to do."

Arien nodded stupidly.

"Really?  And what do you think that is, mister??"

"You're tryin' to wrangle that filly and whisper her, am I right?"  The man said, pointing in the direction of the mob which was about a mile away by now.

Arien chuckled and looked at him more directly.  Her eyes widened, and she let go of her painful arm.

"Wait.  What is your name??  You're not a bounty hunter are you??"

"No.  Just someone tryin' to keep these mustang safe. My NAME is Frank Hopkins."

Arien squinted to look at his face for the last time.  She gasped and pointed at him.

The man was only about seven years older than her, short flaky chestnut brown hair, hazel green eyes. 

Arien stumbled backwards, knocking into Cheval's nose.

"I know you!"

"You may.  But I'm gonna have to tell you to leave." Frank told her.

She took a hold of Cheval's reigns and stared at him.

"You won that three thousand mile race didn't you, on that mustang?"

Frank cleared his throat.

"That was quite a while ago."

"It was three years." Arien replied.

Frank glared at her, and pointed to the horizon.

"Leave now."

Arien frowned and hoisted herself into Cheval's saddle.  Frank stood there, still staring at her.  Instead Arien stared back.  She stroked Cheval's mane.

"You were my hero you know.  You and your mustang."

"Were??"

"Yeah.  Until that day you let the mustang go." She shook her head in shame, "It could've been killed."

"I had to do that.  It's what Hidalgo wanted."

Arien snuffed a laugh.

"And you knew what he wanted? You can read his mind?"

"No." Frank replied sharply, "But I could see before that so could you."

Arien's face turned blank.  Cheval snorted and nodded his head.  Both of them turned to leave.

Frank climbed onto his horse and followed after her.

"Hey!" He cried, trotting up beside her, "Who are you anyhow?"

"It's about time you asked me my name." Arien sighed, "My name is Arien Tane."

"What do you do for a living."

Arien glanced at him and galloped off ahead of him.  She slowed down to a walk, about ten meters in front.  Frank smiled and yelled after her.

"FROM WHAT I CAN SEE IT'S WHISPERIN' MUSTANG!! AM I RIGHT!!"

Arien stopped in her path.  Frank caught up and she continued on.

"Why are you followin' me, Hopkins?"  
"To make sure you don't hunt my horses again, that's why."

"What makes you think I will."

Frank waved his hand and looked around him.

"Come on.  You think I'm really that stupid?"

Arien tilted her head and mumbled.  Frank just glared at her.  She whipped Cheval's sides and galloped off toward the mob again.  Frank in a hurry followed closely behind.

"STOP!" He yelled.

Arien didn't take any notice of him and headed directly at the mob.  Frank whipped his horse harder and he edged in front of Cheval.  He reached his arm out and tried to grab Cheval's bridle, but was unsuccessful.

"LEAVE ME BE HOPKINS!! I NEED TO TAME THIS HORSE BY SUNDOWN TOMORROW AND YOU AREN'T GOING TO STOP ME!!"

"WATCH ME!!" Frank snapped back.

Arien looked determined and ready for anything, and Frank saw that.  

He took his reigns and pulled one leg up onto his horse.  He steadied himself enough and seized Arien by the shoulder.  He pushed with all his might off his own horse and leapt onto the back of hers, behind her.  His horse veered off to the left,  he leant forward and snatched the reigns, even though she was still holding them and pulled in the opposite direction.  Cheval went there and Arien tried to hit him away.  Frank dodged all her moves and yanked back hard on the reigns, forcing Cheval to stop.  She turned her head and glared at him unhappily.  Frank just smirked back.  She crossed her arms and pouted, as Frank lead Cheval to his horse, tied it's reigns to Cheval's saddle-bag and trotted off in the opposite direction, into the sunset.

Arien sat quietly.  She knew she had been done, but Frank nudged her.

"I always thought a woman who whispers wild horses would be tougher and much more daring.  Guess I was mistaken."

Arien didn't say a word.  She knew he was right, but she also knew she wasn't going to get that reward money now.  The mob was already gone from sight and not to be seen for a long time once more.

"I'd get a lot of money for that damn tamed mustang of yours."

Frank laughed and shook his head lightly.

"You'd have ta find him first."

Arien glanced to him as if it were a challenge that she wished to win.


	2. A Challenge Well Accepted

CHAPTER 2

A Challenge Well Accepted

The smoke of a fire rose slowly into the darkened sky, as the sun peered out from the horizon onto the land.  In a small clearing, out in the middle of what seemed to be absolutely no where, a small camp was set up.  The two horses, one being Cheval, were tied to a log lying neatly in the grass.  Arien looked up and saw Frank lying peacefully still, sleeping quietly face down under his blanket.  She turned over, nothing covering her from the cold air and shivered.

She had been told to sleep on the ground by the log to make sure that the horses don't manage to flee.  However, Arien planned to escape that morning, so she slowly got to her feet, brushed off the dirt and crept toward Cheval.  He neighed softly as she approached him, bent down and untied his reigns.

"How dare he ride you" She whispered to Cheval, "That man has no right to lay a hand on you."

She held the reigns and tried to lead him away slowly so that her mounting the horse would not make a noise whatsoever.  Frank's horse neighed loudly instead, making Arien jump and turn around.

"Shuddup! You stupid horse! Do you want to get us both in trouble?"

At that moment the horse neighed again, louder than it did before and stamped its hooves.

Arien glared at it angrily and turned to walk away.  Frank twitched and rolled onto his back.

"Shuddup!" He snapped, opening his eyes slowly to the light.

The horse ceased making a racket as Frank sat up slowly.  He looked over and saw Arien creeping away and clutching tightly to Cheval's reigns.   He rubbed his forehead and pulled the blanket off himself.  He heaved himself to his feet and stood there watching her, waiting to see if she would take off, but she still continued to creep away.

He cleared his throat and picked up a spoon that was lying in the dirt.  Tossing it through the air, it flew across and hit her in the back of the head.  In a quick response she flinched and jumped around angrily.

"Who was it!!? Come out and…" She barked when she finally spotted Frank glaring at her strangely.

"Where ya goin?" He demanded.

Arien smiled and waved her hand.

"Home.  You can't keep me here forever you know.  That's kidnapping."

"You're right, I can't."

They stared at each other for a while before Frank pointed to the spoon on the ground.  Arien glared at it, then at him.  Angrily, she leant over, picked it up and tossed it back at him. It landed in the dirt in front of him.

"Goodbye Mr. Hopkins…" She told him, as she turned to jump into Cheval's saddle.

"WAIT! What about my Mustang!?"

Arien stopped and turned to face him.

"What about it?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to catch him?"

Arien smiled and flicked the reign in her hand.

"Perhaps." She replied, staring at the reign, "But my career is over.  Thanks to YOU, I didn't _manage_ to capture that filly by sundown.   That poor little boy won't ever be able to see his horse… and I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO SEE MY MONEY!"

Frank came on over and snatched Cheval's reigns from her hands.

"Either you take the challenge, or you don't."

Arien snatched them back.

"I do not!"

Frank scratched his chin and sighed.

"Fine, but I still have to take you in."

Arien stepped backwards, pulling Cheval with her.  She looked around herself and leapt up into Cheval's saddle.  Frank glared up at her.  She sat and waited.

"Well?? Are you going you take me??"

Frank poked his finger at her, turned around and walked back to the campsite.

Arien sat and thought about what he had said, as Frank packed up his things rather easily and mounted his horse.  He rode over and stood there staring at her.

"Come on.  It's too early but…" He leaned over and grabbed Cheval's reign from her hands to lead him.  She tried to take them back once again, but tried not to fight with him.

"… You planned to escape all along didn't you??" He ended.

She glared at him and snorted a laugh.

"Well but of course."

Frank nodded and stared out over the horizon.  There were a few minutes of silence, and he let go of her reigns.

"Listen, I'll make a deal with you.   I'll let you off right here right now.  Only catch is you come along with me to find Hidalgo."

There was another silence.

"So it's either stay here with you…. or.... stay here with you??"

Frank nodded.  He turned around and pulled something out of this jacket.

It was a small brown tattered book.  He held it out in front of him to show Arien.

Arien gasped and reached out for the book, but he plucked it away from her reach.

"Give me that back! That stuff is personal!"

Frank read the front cover.

"Diary of Arien Tane – Do not read or I will have your head…?"

She frowned at him and nodded.

"It'll happen to you if you don't hand it here this instant!!"  
Frank laughed slightly and opened it to flick through.

"I read it last night.  It must've fallen out of your saddle-bag. Interesting stuff."

"What do you mean by that?" Arien asked.

He stopped abruptly on a single page with drawn pictures and writing.

"Says here you've managed to capture and whisper two hundred and twelve mustangs in your time.  You started from age nineteen."

Arien shrugged and snatched for the book.

"What about it??"

"That's pretty darn impressive."

Arien flashed a sort of smiled but then stopped immediately.

Frank flipped a few pages back to the beginning of the book and smiled.  He read the page for a second and then showed it to Arien.  He cleared his throat and pointed to the page.

"What about this??"  
Arien gasped and covered her mouth with one hand.  Her cheeks turned red and she looked away.

"Not that!" She cried, sounding very embarrassed.

The page was indeed covered in writing, but it all read, repeatedly things like 'I Love Frank Hopkins' and 'Frank Is Sexy and Brave'.

Arien rubbed her face and tried to look back at him.  He was staring at her and smiling.

"That's some brave writing right there."  
"I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU WOULD READ IT!!... I mean… back then I thought it would be impossible to meet a person as talented and bold as you.  It was beyond thought."

"Back then?" Frank replied, looking down at the page date, "1879!! But that was about fourteen years ago!"

Arien nodded slowly.  

"You know I started off young."

"But I won the Sea of Fire three years ago.  No one knew who I was until then.  How did you know me?"

He handed back the book slowly and she took it from him, now shoving it into her jacket pocket. 

"I attended one of those Wild West Shows you were in one day, by myself.  I loved the way you and Hidalgo worked.  It was like you showed me what my life would and should be."

Frank sighed and rubbed his forehead, before looking at her decently.

"Those weren't exactly the best years of my life." He grumbled.

"I still came and watched you everyday until that time came when I left my family and set out on my own wild adventure."

There was silence as they continued riding.  It was a tense silence and Arien leant forward and stroked Cheval's mane.  Frank watched her and thought to himself.

"You did that because of me?" He finally said, speaking up.

Arien nodded and smiled.  She looked around herself and back at Frank.

"But look where I am now?"

"It's not much better than I was when I was young.  But I must say that I've never known a woman to want to join such a rowdy life let alone run away from her family."

Arien grinned at him.

"Well, it just goes to show how much I really adored you, doesn't it"

Frank nodded and smiled back at her.  

They rode on for a minute or two, and Arien stopped in her path.

"Remember that time you and Hidalgo rode out from the side, straight into your act and nothing went to plan.  You ended up on the ground and had a face full of dirt."

Frank laughed and shook his head.

"I dunno.  There were a lot of times that happened, and that's only one you're speakin' of."

"You don't remember?"

Frank shook his head again and Arien fell quiet.

"All I know is that Hidalgo would always drag me back off the staging area."

Arien laughed and Frank followed.  Frank rode on, leaving Arien behind.  When he realised, he stopped and turned back.

"Come on, gotta get goin'"

Arien smiled over to him and stroked Cheval's mane again.  She pointed at Frank and shook her finger.

"You know what? I'll take up that challenge!"

Frank sighed with relief.  Arien galloped past him and Frank turned and followed.

"SO YOU'RE COMIN' WITH ME TO FIND HIDALGO!?" He yelled after her.

"NO!! I'M ESCAPING!!"

Frank's eyes widened and he whipped his horse harder.

"I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN MISS TANE!!"

Arien skidded to a halt and Frank did the same.

"But I thought you were going to look for your Mustang."

Frank eyed her strangely.

"I am, but I couldn't let you escape."

"I wasn't escaping."

"But I thought YOU said you were escaping."

Arien rode closer and punched him in the arm.

"I only said that so that I could find Hidalgo first!!"

Frank smiled and watched as Arien galloped off ahead of him.  He kicked his horse in the sides and took off after her.  In the distance ahead of him, Arien threw her arm up in the air.

"LOOK OUT MUSTANG!! YOUR FREEDOM DAYS ARE OVER!!"

Frank whipped his horse and galloped after her.


End file.
